Board Culture and Team Dynamics: Creating a High Performing Board

Once elected to a board based on their own accomplishments, expertise, experience, and leadership, directors must learn to work together as peers and as part of a team that operates largely by consensus. Like any small group, boards may confront issues such as groupthink, diffusion of responsibility, and pressure to maintain relationships. And directors must figure out how to navigate the balancing act of “noses in, fingers out” by staying engaged and informed without overstepping into management’s role. The best performing boards are able to overcome these dynamics and build cultures of trust, transparency, and collaboration that foster open debate and an ability to ask tough questions of management. Much of the work to cultivate a healthy board culture is done at the organizational level, but there are individual competencies and practices that directors can build and implement to improve the dynamics and performance of the board. What can directors do to build influence in the boardroom and develop a foundation of trust with fellow directors and with management? How do board members ask questions–in the right way, at the right time, and in the right tone–to draw out information, stimulate debate, and challenge assumptions without creating defensive responses? What are the most effective ways to mentor and empower new directors to accelerate their ability to add value in the boardroom? This session will provide practical advice on how individual directors can help to create a learning environment with inclusive practices that make the board work more effectively as a team to anticipate and mitigate risks and capture the valuable expertise and perspectives of all members.